The first person to be killed on Wiltshire's roads in 2009 has been named as the mother of one of the county's top police chiefs.

The family of Brenda Hookings, 69, spoke of their loss after the mother of two, who was actively involved in community work in her home in Devizes, was killed in a car crash at Seend Fork at the weekend.

And as tributes were paid to Mrs Hookings, another family were dealing with a second fatality on Wiltshire's roads – a 51-year-old woman from Cornwall was killed in a crash on the A303 near Mere.

Mrs Hookings moved to Devizes 14 years ago from Dorset with her husband Bob, who was also hurt in the crash on Saturday which killed her. She played an active role in the local community in Devizes, supporting the Crown Centre, the Townswomen's Guild and the Kennet Friendship Circle.

"She enjoyed playing skittles and whist, although she was the first to admit she was no expert," said a statement issued by her family. "She loved her family and enjoyed the company of her three grandchildren."

Mr and Mrs Hookings' son Glynn is a Chief Inspector with Wiltshire police serving in Devizes and Melksham, although he is currently on secondment with the National Police Improvement Agency.

The couple's daughter Carol lives in their home town of Sherborne, in Dorset. Last spring, Brenda and Bob celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, with a trip to Mexico. Her husband said swimming with dolphins was the highlight of a wonderful holiday.

"Brenda comes from a family of five and her 93-year-old father still lives in Sherborne. She was born in Cardiff and was proud of being Welsh.

"Brenda was always there for everyone, she was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, mother-in-law and friend who loved life, enjoyed the love of her family and the company of friends – she will be greatly missed!" the family said.

The second person killed on Wiltshire's roads in 2009 was a 51-year-old woman from Newquay in Cornwall, police said yesterday.

The woman was a passenger in a white Citroen Berlingo van that was involved in a collision with a blue Nissan Qashqai (CORR) car on the A303 at Charnage Down, near Mere, on Tuesday lunchtime.

The drivers of both cars were taken by land ambulance to Salisbury district hospital, where their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening, but the woman passenger, who has not yet been named, was more seriously hurt. She was airlifted to hospital, but died of her injuries later.

Police yesterday appealed for witnesses to the crash, which happened at 12.37pm, and closed the road for some six hours.